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How should covered walkways and other above-grade items be considered in SS c3 Local Heat Island Effects?

Ruling:
For SSc 3.2 Roof Heat Island Effects, projects should only include roof area, all other areas are considered site and part of SSc 3.1 Site Heat Island Effects. Roof area is the area of the uppermost...

For buildings that have landscaping above a podium, rather than at the ground level, how should the SS and WE credits be applied? For example, a common strategy is for parking to be located under a bu...

Ruling:
Landscaping that is built on a podium should generally be treated the same way as landscaping that is installed at ground level:

Should public sidewalks be included in the calculation in SS 3, even if they are not part of the home lot? What if the homeowners have an opportunity to affect the material choice or place trees to sh...

Ruling:
Public sidewalks (outside the lot of the project) should not be included in the calculation in SS 3. If the project team has influence over the choice of material for the sidewalk or installs new tree...

For part (b-iv), is it acceptable to rely on published SRI values for general categories of material like white concrete? Or, should SRI values be verified for materials from specific suppliers? Or, s...

Ruling:
If a project team can demonstrate that the product being used on the project meets the SRI requirements in SS 3, credit should be awarded. Data from the manufacturer or supplier is required, unless th...

White concrete is one strategy that a project can use to earn credit under SS 3. Can white gravel be used to earn credit under SS 3? Or does the SRI value of the gravel need to be tested?

Ruling:
White gravel may only be used for part (b-iv); if a project team can demonstrate that the product being used on the project meets the SRI requirements in SS 3, credit should be awarded. Data from the...

If a project has a roof with different materials, can a straightline weighted average approach be used to estimate the overall SRI value?

Ruling:
Yes, the overall SRI value for the entire roof may be calculated using a straightline weighted average of the SRI values for each section of the roof.
Updated 10/1/13 for rating system applicabilit...

Should pool decks be included in the calculation for SS 3 (the heat island effect), if they are within 50 feet of the home?

Ruling:
Pool decks that are within 50 feet of the home should be included in the calculation for SS 3. If the pool deck meets one of the requirements in SS 3 (e.g., shaded, made of white concrete, made of a m...

Mid-rise Pilot credit SS 3.2 requires that roofing materials have an SRI equal to or greater than the prescribed values in Table 7 for a minimum of 75% of the roof area. The project, however, will ha...

Ruling:
LEED for Homes will follow the existing policy set by LEED-NC. The area of the roof covered by mechanical equipment, solar energy panels, and appurtenances should be deducted from the total roof surf...

If a project only has completed 50% of the designed landscaping, can it still earn full credit in SS 3, SS 4, WE 1, and WE 2? The Rating System is already clear that only half credit is available in S...

Ruling:
For a project that has installed 50% of its designed landscaping, points may be earned as follows (credit requirements must be met for points to be awarded):
Updated 10/1/13 for rating system...

For part (a), can projects earn credit for shading provided by trees on neighboring properties?

Ruling:
No, not automatically. In cases like this, a project-specific CIR must be submitted with the following information: 1) percentage of hardscapes shaded by trees on neighboring properties; 2) descriptio...

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